What’s in a Name? Everything.

I thought about tweeting this but realised I couldn’t explain it in 140 characters and I hate multiple run-on tweets. So here it is in a blog:

In October of this year I start presenting a new science programme on BBC Radio 4. It will be on every Tuesday at 0900 – a fantastic slot just after the Today Programme. In fact, the hope is that this will become a long-running fixture on R4 with around 30 or so episodes a year, so that the Tuesday 9am slot becomes associated with it. Just think what else is on at that time throughout the week: on Monday it’s Start the Week, Wednesday it’s Midweek, Thursday is In Our Time and Friday it’s Desert Island Discs. Tuesday is the only day without a recognised fixture.

The new controller of Radio 4, Gwyneth Williams, has been absolutely key in getting this programme commissioned – well, she’s the boss, right? Anyway, what is so fantastic is that Gwyn is very keen to get more science on Radio 4 and for science to continue its rapid move into mainstream culture – for instance, The Infinite Monkey Cage, presented by Robin Ince and Brian Cox, recently won a Sony Award.

So, what will the programme be about and why do I need your help?

The first thing to say is that this will not be like In Our Time with Melvyn Bragg, nor will it be like Material World, the excellent science magazine programme presented by Quentin Cooper. We have already recorded two pilots for the new series, differing in format, so that the powers that be in the BBC can decide on the style, format and flavour of the programme. At the moment, a very rough way of explaining what it is about is that it is like Desert Island Discs, without the discs. Each week, I will be talking to a different prominent figure from the world of science (by which I mean ‘science’ in its broadest sense: natural science, maths, engineering, technology, medicine and social science). There wil be Nobel Prize winners, shakers and movers, advisers to governments, writers or just fascinating people who have made a contribution to our understanding of the Universe. So, whereas Kirsty Young might ask her guests on DID something like ‘tell me why you never got on with your father’, I might ask ‘tell me where you were when you first had that Eureka moment that led to your scientific breakthrough’, or some such thing.

So, here’s the thing: we still don’t have a title for the programme!

We have come up with ideas like ‘Latitude‘, ‘The Life Scientific’, ‘This Scientific Life‘, ‘Science Talk‘. I even suggested ‘Curious Minds‘ but it was pointed out to me that that is the strapline for the whole of Radio 4: “Radio for Curious Minds”. Although it would be kinda nice to have the programme title reflect so perfectly the ethos of the network.
So, ideas please: either below in comments or tweet them to me (@jimalkhalili) with the hashtag #radio4sciencetitle

I thank you.

P.S. Apparently I am not allowed to offer a prize if a title is used but I will certainly publicise who came up with it if you are happy for me to do so.

About Jim Al-Khalili

Professor of theoretical physics at the University of Surrey, author and broadcaster.

69 Responses to What’s in a Name? Everything.

How about ‘Facts and Figures’ – The ‘figures’ having a second meaning as the interviewees – as it seems like they are going to be ‘larger than life’ figures in their respective fields of interest….
Best
Ann Wood

Dear Jim,
you got me thinking but if some of my suggestions seem crazy just remember that they may be only a shade away from genius.
Well as you mention a Eureka moment – A) “Another Revolution” B) “Turning the Screw” or C) “Bathtub Gin”
A) pun on Archimedes water screw B) ditto and a play the tool making meaning of turning – the practicalities of scientific research C) the supposed location of the original Eureka moment and overcoming obstacles (1930s prohibition).
Of course if I have to explain the titles maybe that’s not so good. However, I presume a certain level of education and intellect among your target audience.
What about a play on εὕρηκα? D) “Honey, I found the keys!”
What about E) “Root and Branch”
The transposition of “Q&A” to F) “? & !!” seems too short.
What about G) “Science Q&A” or H) “The Q to A of Science” or I) “Science ? & !” or J) “The ? to ! of Science”
K) o.k. my last one – given your education and research and you Iraqi heritage – why not call it simply “Al Khalili” in the tradition of naming the great minds of the Islamic golden age of learning, with your name in Roman and Arabic script?
yours sincerely,
Fergus

“Questioning Nature” (I quite like this one – double entendre and all that).

Other ideas:
“Eureka” is perhaps a bit too hackneyed?
“Expanding Horizons” maybe a little non-specific?
“Journeys in Science” might work, but a bit boring?
“Lives in Science”?
“The Light of Science”?
Sounds like a great idea for a show, and what a slot! Unfortunately just when I’m firing up my clinic. Gotta love iPlayer.

A few ideas:
/ ‘Perspectives’
/ ‘Sci-Fact’
/ ‘The Uncertainty of Science’ or ‘The Uncertain Scientist(s)’ – from a quote by my hero, Richard Feynman – see also ‘An atom in the universe’ and ‘Physics is like sex…’
/ ‘It’s life Jim, but not as we know it …’

Looking forward to the show (will have to set to record or hope for podcast version though).

“Shoulders of Science” to paraphrase Newton and conjure up idea of seeing further or upon these shoulders you find the great heads/minds of science. Could expand to On the… or keep with original quote and use Giants but using science encapsulates programme theme and logical for anyone listening even if you are unaware of hat tip to Newton.

Jim, I´ve just seen the everything&nothing documentary in youtube, since I am from Brazil, absolutely fantastic! Thank you for the awesome work.
Regarding the title for the radio show, how about “Morning Science”?

Ring Nobel
The Nobelmen (sexist!)
Quantum Tunnelling
Subatomic Articles
Charming and Strange
A New, Clear Perspective
Wonders of the Scientific Community
Uncertain Principals
Jim Jams
Any Hypotheses? (And its partner: Any Theorems?)
Quantum Island Discords
Quantumative Easing
The Weak Fours (if you have four on the panel)
Splitting the Atomicists
Entropy! Entropy! They’ve All Got It Entropy!
Antimatters
Under The Macroscope

Hi Jim. I love your work and look forward to the new programme. I like many of the suggestions made but feel they are not quite general enough and don’t highlight the thing especially I like about your presentation style, your ability to make great thinkers live as people. So, my suggestion is:

How on earth…….?

Of course how in the universe might be more accurate but it doesn’t quite trip off the tongue! Good luck anyway.

Hi,
Given that the purpose of the program me is to interview icons of the science world and establish itself at a particular time slot my suggestion is to call it…
Great Minds at Nine
Sublime at Nine
The world as we know it

Big fan of your programs, always interesting to listen to. My suggestion for a title is this “What are shadows made of…” Perhaps its a bit to specific, or it could be seen as an open ended question for a title. Shadows seem completely mysterious, as their nature seems to show itself in the absence of other things. Yet we need light to see them, contrasted against different backgrounds.

It seems that nothing, or no-thing is a prime aspect of nature. Of course your program will be about all kinds of scientific topics, not just shadows.

Other ideas.

“How far is up”
“You cant have something without nothing” (How else would you find the edges)
“X is the length of string”
“Whats the time? Its always now”
“Uncle Jimmys Science Shed” (Nod to jimmy saville)
“Jims black hole”
“Jims white hole”
“What the hell does it all mean?”
“Bong!”
“Jims better than cox” LOL

Ok probably a bit silly for the BBC, but good luck with what ever you call it!

Nine Lives.
Article in a Box.
The Scientific Collective.
The History of Everyone.
No Right Way.
The Truth is Out There.
8 Out of 10 Cats.
Its a GUT Life.
Relatively Interesting Science.
Between Einstein and a Hard Place.
Wave Hello to Science.
The Scientific Methods.

Hope to meet you in Portsmouth on 8th September for the Skeptics in the Pub. My suggestion for ‘Latitude’ programme would be ‘Scientific Methods’ – but I guess, with a month till launch, the name has already been decided!

I was going to suggest “It’s life Jim, but not as we know it”, unfortunately this has already been thought up by another great mind. So, I know it’s corny but what about “Al-KaLine”. Line as in line of text/speech.

Oh no! Someone has posted that the title has been chosen as “The Life Scientific”. If true, never mind you can always use my suggestion another day.

I work as a scientist in industry of plastics. I come from Poland. I have just discovered You and Your TV auditions. They are fantastic! All the experiments from previous centuries showing exactly how those scientists were producing their experiments……Awesome! and You are phenomenal too. Very good job. I am utterly impressed!
I have to catch up on all the auditions You have done so far and on Your blog as well.
All the best.